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The discovery of two new divergent STLVs has implications for the evolution and epidemiology of HTLVs
Author(s) -
Van Brussel Marianne,
Salemi Marco,
Liu HsinFu,
Goubau Patrick,
Desmyter Jan,
Vandamme AnneMieke
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
reviews in medical virology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.06
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1099-1654
pISSN - 1052-9276
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1099-1654(199907/09)9:3<155::aid-rmv242>3.0.co;2-3
Subject(s) - simian , biology , phylogenetic tree , virology , lineage (genetic) , virus , phylogenetics , clade , pan paniscus , human t lymphotropic virus , genetics , gene , zoology , neuroscience , myelopathy , spinal cord
We have isolated and characterised two divergent simian T‐lymphotropic viruses (STLV), not belonging to the established human and simian T‐lymphotropic virus lineages HTLV‐1/STLV‐1 and HTLV‐2. STLV‐L, from an Eritrean sacred baboon ( Papio hamadryas ), has been typed as a third type of simian T‐lymphotropic virus, distinct from HTLV‐1/STLV‐1 and HTLV‐2. The other virus, isolated from Congolese bonobos ( Pan paniscus ), is a distinct member of the HTLV‐2 clade and has been designated STLV‐2. The isolation of these two simian viruses shows that the spectrum of HTLVs/STLVs is larger than previously expected. Our data indicate that the two lineages STLV‐L and HTLV‐2/STLV‐2 are of African origin, while the HTLV‐1/STLV‐1 lineage has been shown to be of Asian origin. These data, together with our phylogenetic analyses, suggest an African origin of the HTLV/STLV ancestor, which provides new clues about virus dissemination. Furthermore, the atypical serological profiles exhibited by STLV‐L or STLV‐2 infected animals in western blot, raise questions about the efficiency of current screening methods to type highly divergent HTLVs/STLVs. Considering the growing interest in xenotransplantations, more epidemiological and biological knowledge of simian and human T‐lymphotropic viruses is necessary to estimate the risk of interspecies transmissions. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.